Food Safety Ratings

Delta County Health Department uses the following guideline to assign a score to a food facility’s regular inspections.

A rating is based on a numerical value assigned to violations of the Colorado Retail Food Code.

Critical violations, or those violations that are more likely to cause a foodborne illness, are given a higher point value than less critical or non-critical violations.

The sum of the point values for all violations observed during a regular inspection determines the final rating.

Ratings

Excellent

At the time of inspection, the establishment had no serious critical violations associated with cooling, reheating, cooking, refrigeration and hot-holding equipment, cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, employee hygiene, and other items with risk index values of 20. Some secondary critical and non-critical items may be in violation. The risk index range is 0-19.

Good

At the time of inspection, the establishment could have one serious critical violation associated with cooling, reheating, cooking, refrigeration and hot-holding equipment, cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, employee hygiene, and other items with risk index values of 20; or the establishment could have one or more secondary critical violations with risk index values of 5-15, as well as some non-critical violations. The risk index range is 20-39.

Fair

At the time of inspection, the establishment could have three serious critical violations associated with cooling, reheating, cooking, refrigeration and hot-holding equipment, cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, employee hygiene, and other items with risk index values of 20; or the establishment could have one or more secondary critical violations with risk index values of 5-15, as well as some non-critical violations. The risk index range is between 40-69.

Marginal

At the time of inspection, the establishment could have four serious critical violations associated with cooling, reheating, cooking, refrigeration and hot-holding equipment, cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, employee hygiene, and other items with risk index values of 20; or the establishment could have one or more secondary critical violations with risk index values of 5-15, as well as some non-critical violations. The risk index range is 70-99.

Unacceptable

At the time of inspection the establishment could have more than five serious critical violations associated with cooling, reheating, cooking, refrigeration and hot holding equipment, cross-contamination between raw animal foods and ready-to-eat foods, employee hygiene, and other items with risk index values of 20; and/or the establishment could have one or more secondary critical violations with risk index values of 5-15, as well as some non-critical violations. If an imminent public health hazard is present, immediate corrective action and/or closure of the establishment will be required. The risk index range is 100 and above.

Risk Index Values

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified the major risk factors related to employee behaviors and preparation practices in retail food service establishments that can contribute to foodborne illness. The violations below are ranked in order of their relative risk of causing a foodborne illness. The higher the value, the more likely the violation can contribute to foodborne disease.